


Mine

by ActWriteLoveDie



Series: The Tale of Two Lieutenants [7]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-24
Updated: 2012-09-24
Packaged: 2017-11-14 23:03:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/520430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ActWriteLoveDie/pseuds/ActWriteLoveDie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>James is on the hunt for his lost shirt.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mine

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by this piece of art: http://misidoesthings.tumblr.com/post/30897863001/steve-is-very-hardworking-c-he-also-stole

_EDI isn’t your maid or your personal detective, James. Go find it yourself._

Vega could already hear Shepard in his head yelling at him for it. Still, it was either getting her help or walking around shirtless for the whole day.

“EDI, where the hell is my shirt?” He looks up a bit as he says it. It’s something Joker makes fun of him for and has no problem reminding the marine that trying to aim his voice really doesn’t make any difference. The AI can hear him just fine, no matter the location, volume or the position he puts his face.

“You are going to be more specific with your question, Lieutenant Vega.”

James rolls his eyes and flaps his arms at his sides. “My shirt, EDI. The one m’always wearing.”

“You have many shirts to that description that you cycle through on a daily basis.”

James sighs loudly, “Well this one is the only clean one I had left. It’s gone.”

There’s a slight pause before she finally answers. “The one you’re looking for appears to be down in Shuttle Bay.”

Vega can’t help it; he scoffs at that piece of information. “How the hell did it get all the way down there?” EDI doesn’t answer right away. In fact, EDI doesn’t answer at all. He runs a frustrated hand through his freshly showered and still wet hair. “C’mon, chica, I’m on in ten. I don’t have time for games.”

Still nothing.

James growls, knowing she has the answer and is keeping it from him. He grabs a tank top and drags it over his head. He uses enough force that it’s a miracle that it doesn’t tear. He realizes it after the fact and just exhales. His day is already off to a bad start, the last thing he needs is for it get worse because he’s getting pissed off.

Luckily, the walk from the crew quarters to the elevator is a short one. Despite how his luck is going so far, the elevator is empty. The last thing he needs right now is for the Commander to start going off on how he’s even more out of uniform than he usually is. This isn’t his fault any more than the Alliance not making crap in his size is. That wouldn’t matter; he still would get an earful if he doesn’t find out how this shirt magically got out of his footlocker, walked it’s way into the elevator and down to the-

The doors open and he sees it almost immediately. Standing at the Starboard side workbench, completely unaware that he’s being watched is the shirt thief. It’s pretty big on him but that’s not all that surprising. It’d look too big on pretty much any crew member other than the one who it actually belongs to. The way the sleeves are loose and flowing slightly from the air vent directly above and how the collar of it is pooling and draping down the man’s collarbone is pretty damn amusing. And maybe a little sexy.

“Hey Esteban,” James calls out as he gets closer. All the irritation from earlier has completely washed away. “You wanna tell me why you’re wearin’ my shirt?”

Steve looks over his shoulder for just a second before turning back to the rifle he’s working on. Vega is pretty damn sure he sees a small smirk on his face. “It might have something to do with you ruining my last clean one last night when you decided to try to wear it and put on a show, Mister Vega.”

Oh. Right. He’d forgotten about that.

“Heh, good times.” James mumbles with a lazy smile as he remembers the look on Cortez’ face when they both heard the loud ripping noise after he tried to show off his pecs with it on. “You couldn’t warn a guy that you were stealing his clothes first, though?”

“You were still fast asleep when I woke up, Lieutenant.” Steve finally turns all the way around and leans against the workbench. “Besides, it’s not stealing. It’s appropriating restitution for what I’m rightfully owed.”

“Yeah? Well, I’ve got somethin’ else you can appropriate.” Before Steve can get another word out, James finishes closing the distance between them and presses his lips against the man wearing his shirt. He can feel Cortez smiling against his lips and it makes him do the same. He nips at the smaller man’s bottom lip and mumbles, “M’gonna need that back temporarily before Shepard comes down here and tries to throw me out the airlock.”

Steve chuckles, “And when will I get my property back?”

James hums and raises one eyebrow suggestively, “When you peel it off me when we’re both off duty tonight.”

“I believe we have ourselves a deal.” Cortez leans in and steals another quick kiss. “I was just starting to like wearing this, too. It’s nice and comfortable.”

“Well, then it’s a good thing it belongs to your boyfriend, huh?” James says with a smirk, his voice dropping to a lower register, “Mi camisa es su camisa. You can wear it whenever you want... just not when I need it.”

Steve snorts. “Well that takes the fun out of it.”

“Shut up.” James starts tugging at the bottom of the shirt, pulling it out of the waistband of Cortez’ pants. “Mine.”

“The shirt?” Steve asks innocently.

“And sexy ass man wearing it.” James looks him in the eye with a wolfish grin.

“Right answer.”


End file.
